The "official" unofficial obscure manga/anime recommendations thread

ITT...

We talk about manga and anime most, if not all ST forum-goers have never heard of in their life!

Post the name of a manga/anime that you like, and isn't mainstream (i.e. unless you live under a rock, don't post The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya). And say why others should read/watch it. I'll start with...

Anne Freaks.

Before the Great Bleach Disaster of '07, this seinen manga series was one of the ones that I would never fail to mention. At only four volumes long, it's good enough for a light read. Yet, unlike other manga of such length, it provides a surprisingly deep plot (crazy girls with guns =/). Also the art is great and is well suited to the atmosphere of the manga. Case in point: Anna's eyes. With the exception of maybe once or twice, her eyes are never shown closed. Freaky, no? It gives her an omnipresent feel; as if nothing will ever escape her.

I hereby rate this manga...8.5/10 If it was longer I would've rated it higher - I finished it in one night.

I rarely mention these because my specialty is romance/comedy recommendations, but nevertheless:

Gunsmith Cats

Genre: Seinen action/adventure.

Surprisingly good. A nine-volume collection of tales told in major story arcs about a couple of female bounty hunters - Rally Vincent and Minnie May Hopkins - who run a weapons store in Chicago and hunt down criminals on the side. Artwork is a little bit old-school (published in mid-90s), but the "feel" and general structure of the series is very similar to City Hunter, or Cowboy Bebop set in present times. Rare but significant amounts of "H" (full nudity, masturbation, some S&M play with drugs involved too). Plenty of guns and action, and a cast of interesting characters. Plus it's just cool. One of the very few action/adventure series I know that doesn't continue on forever.

Eatman

Genre: Science-fiction action/adventure. Somewhat on the borderline between shounen and seinen.

Also similar to many of the same type. No real continuous story, but instead a collection of short tales about Bolt Crank, the world's best explorer ("explorer" here is a term that's used to mean a cross between adventurer, bounty hunter and mercenary). Bolt Crank has the unique ability of being able to eat anything in small pieces and have it materialise whole and complete out of his arm at a later time. This includes all sorts of weaponry and equipment. Set in the far future, on a different planet. Artwork is old-school... similar to Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, or perhaps Appleseed. There are some hints of deeper philosophy, but mostly it's a collection of adventure stories. Along the way, several characters slowly join the regular cast and appear more often in later stories. (My favourite story is when all the regular explorers gather to hunt down the nanotech shapeshifter and no one can tell who's real). 18 volumes and still ongoing... I think. It's just an enjoyable read. What Salad Days is to romance manga, Eatman is to adventure stories... a well-told anthology.

And one from my specialty field:

Dice

Genre: Shoujo romance

A short, two-volume story about a simple love rectangle between two guys and two girls. At first glance, it seems like nothing special. However, what I really like about this story, and what keeps it dear to my heart, is the fact that the main protagonist likes the guy for HIS ORDINARINESS. That's something so uncommon in shoujo manga, where usually the male lead is especially handsome, or charming, or intelligent, or something else. Here, all she wants is the average boring guy, and she likes him precisely because of that. Dice is unique among all the shoujo manga I've read, and it's shortness only adds to the simplicity and sweetness of the tale. I can absolutely, unhesitatingly recommend this to any teenage girl out there, and know that it would be good for them to read about a sensible girl who understands the value of character, not charm, in a guy.

The story is about the invincible Hibino Hareluya who wants to take over the world. He and his artist-wannabe buddy always wind up in fights that Hibino has to solve. Solve meaning that Hibino kicks the bad guys' butts.

This manga is much like the typical school-life/action mangas but it has some crucial differences;

It's funny. Really funny.

Unique uses of frying pans.

It's not a Naruto/DBZ copy, but has it's own feel.

It's not that deep perhaps, it's simply a nice read. I got deeply infatuated though... The only other comedy that I've loved this much must have been GTO.

It's a seinen cop manga. There is no true ongoing story...each chapter is an isolated case. It ran for 18 (or was it 20?) volumes. The protagonist is one of the most interesting manga characters I've ever encountered...up there with Light and Griffith. It's very well written and drawn, and it's very much worth reading. It's in my top 10.

I believe the Hawks scanlated it.

Also: MPD Psycho and Homunculus. I'm fairly sure that most of you have heard of them, but if you haven't get 'em.

Simoun (anime only -- the manga's one of those different-story-with-similar-characters thingies)

On a world where everyone is born female and choses a final sex at 17, the Simacula Theocracy has a monopoly on the ancient technology of helical motors, which were excavated in their territory -- when paired motors are joined, the craft (called simoun) can draw powerful sygils in the sky, as attacks and blessings both. The kicker is that only paired priestesses who haven't chosen their adult sex can fly them. Until recently, the chors of simouns had been enough to keep their enemies at bay, but now they've banded together -- and the Theocracy is losing.

Yeah, we've seen most of this before in one mecha series or other -- except for the gender politics. And most of that is kept at the subtext level instead of beating us over the head with it. Not brilliant, but good -- check it out.

Master Keaton - It's definitely a famous manga/anime, but not so much outside of Japan. It's probably my favorite Naoki Urasawa manga, although, he did the story with Hokusei Katsushika. It's about an ex SAS, who graduated from Oxford in archeology and currently teaches in various colleges and is also an agent for Lloyd's of London on the side. Both the manga and anime are great and different at some parts and the directions that they take in telling the story.

The Wings of Honneamise - an anime - It was the biggest anime project of the eighties by which Gainax was also out of the anime industry. It doesn't get the credit it deserves at all. Maybe because it wasn't really advertised and packaged well in the west at all. I wouldn't recommend buying the English DVD. The Japanese one is ok, but if you can, download it subbed.

Mind Game - Mind blowing, and absolutely bizarre, but with a sense of sanity among all the insanity that's happening in the movie.

For only manga, I'd recommend

Say hello to Black Jack - I can't believe no one is continuing this manga, and so many other stuff keep coming out. 13 volumes are out to my knowledge, but I think 1 is translated. This is one of the best manga about the world of doctors I've read.

Dragon Zakura - People who liked GTO will probably like this. It's about a bankrupt lawyer that is trying to get five people to pass Tokyo U. There was a drama for it, too; but can't recommend it since haven't seen it and usually j-dramas are done terribly, but give it a try if you want.

A spirit of the sun is being done by MangaScreener and Pluto is also a good one being done by the same group, this one at a good speed, too.

Yotsubato! is done by the mangaka of Azumanga Daioh. This manga is absolutely hilarious, and quite well done. I don't know if it's continued being released by the manga community but it's still going strong in Japan.

It's a seinen cop manga. There is no true ongoing story...each chapter is an isolated case. It ran for 18 (or was it 20?) volumes.

19 volumes. Yes, it's a very good manga.

Kurozuka ~ Action, Seinen, Horror, Sci-Fi ~ 8/10

10 volumes and ongoing. 8 of them have been scanlated by Izumi no Ryuu. Yoshitsune, the protagonist, meets a mysterious woman in the woods. There are lots of time leaps to the future and flashbacks, and it might be confusing at times, but I'm looking forward to see how the relationship between these two characters develop.

This is one of the most widely liked manga out there. It contains an explosion of humor, action, and character. It starts off as Onizuka the protagonist, who is an ex-gangster who wants to become a teacher. As he goes through many trials to become a teacher and then even more trials to keep his job. His strong will and his pervertedness lands him in many problems and is also what(the strong will lol) allows him to help save his students from despair and sadness.
SideNote: MY FAVORITE MANGA!, the anime has a different ending. THE MANGA IS THE FUNNIEST, YOU'LL LOVE IT!!!!
Rating: 10/10 (very opinionated sry)

Majeh once the greatest warrior in the world died, and became an envoy to the next world for spirits. His strength so strong, that the king of the next world had to seal off most of his powers in order to control him. Soon trouble arise, a rift opens between the next world and the human world. Malicious spirits are leaked into the human world, and Majeh is given the task to slay the spirits, he accepts reluctantly, actually more forcibly. What he is unaware of is there is a secret plot that is dangerous towards the balance of the next world.
SideNote: Though the summary might make Majeh seem mean, tough, twisted, and a fighting machine. Well he is all that lol, but his character is very likable. He is actually more funny than what I might have led you to believe. LOL and he has a very good sense of humor. 90% of the time you'll be laughing at what Majeh can do to friends and enemies.
Rating: 9.5/10 (this time its not opinionated, i'm for real its that good!)

Skip Beat!
Genre: Comedy, Romance, Shoujo

Kyoko has always been submissive to Shotaro Ren and would do anything for him. Kyoko has a sort of obsessive love. She came to Tokyo with Shotaro after middle-school, and she supported him in his career as a pop idol. By support I mean she cooks, clean and works several jobs at to pay for their living expenses. Then Kyoko overhears Shotaro saying that she doesn't love Kyoko and that shes only here in Tokyo with him is for convience. Normally most people would be sad or depressed. Kyoko on the other had has had her Pandora Box Of Evil opened. With a very creepy aura around her she SWEARS REVENGE against Shotaro. In order to do this Kyoko also must climb the steps to being a top idol.
SideNote: Even though Kyoko is now vengeful, shes still a very nice person. It's just that as she joins the entertainment business her trustful side towards people diminishes, but her personality is still kind hearted most of the time. I gotta, say this shoujo is one of the few i like, its very funny with lots of great humor. Her strong determination for revenge is very admirable, you'll see what i mean.
Rating: 9.9/10

Zushio ex-prince of his kingdom now a wanted man. His wacky personality always gets people hurt, him most of the time. Anywhere from chopsticks to super ballistic demons trying to kill Zushio its is all the same. The art is meh, but the jokes will make you die laughing. Zushio has also made an important promise to his sister to regain their kingdom. And if Zushio doesn't full fill it, his sister is the one thats gonna kill him. Oh one more thing as Zushio has knives, sword, or axes stuck to his back he can't die. Let me tell you guys immortality is not what it's cut out to be.
SideNote: This manga in terms of funny is second only to GTO. If you guys don't like the manga, can't blame yah, its funny all right but its plot is pretty much crappy.
Rating:8.75/10